Desk.



No. 843,719. PATENYTED FEB. 12; 1907.

B. L. UMBERGER DESK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20, 1906.

- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES.- Z/VVENTOR.

A ZTORNE Y5 W/JWESSES No. 843,719. PATENTED FEB. 12,1907.

, B. L. UMBBRGER.

DESK.

.APIIIIGATION FILED AUG. 20, 1906.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. I m arm/2L V/kZ er c I By I A TTOR/VE Y5 UNITE TATES PATENT CFFTCEQDESK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1907.

Application filed August 20.1906. erial No. 331,865.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, BASCOM L. UMBERGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Concord, in the county of Cabarrus and State of NorthCarolina, have invented a new and useful Desk, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to combined walldesks and blackboards; and itsobject is to provide an article of this character having a closure whichis easily reversible and which can be utilized as a desk-leaf or as ablack board.

Another object is to provide means for holding this closure at an angleto the desk or suspended therefrom, so as to meet the variousrequirements of the users.

A still further object is to provide an article of furniture of thischaracter having combined therewith a chart-holder which is so locatedthat the charts therein are plainly visible to persons using theblackboard.

A still further object is to provide an ar ticle of this character theback of which is utilized as an educational chart.

\Vith the above and other objects in view the invention consists of acasing adapted to be suspended in any desired manner and closed at theback, the outer surface of said back being preferably provided with achart containing useful information on various subiects.

The interior of the casing is subdivided into various compartments forstationery, letters, valuables, &c., and a rack is provided in the upperpart of the casing for holding detachable charts. The front of thecasing is provided with a closure, one face of which is finished in anydesired manner, while the other face constitutes a blackboard. Thisclosure is so mounted as to be capable of longitudinal movement, and thesame is also capable of being reversed, so as to bring either of thefaces thereof on the outside. Catches are provided for locking theclosure in raised or closing position.

The invention also consists of certain other novel features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter morefully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred form of theinvention.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the desk, the lidbeing in position for Referring to the figures by characters ofreference, 1 1 are the sides of a casing, the front and rear edgesthereof converging at the upper ends and said edges being connected by aback 2, on the rear or outer face of which is located a chart 2 ofuseful infor mation on various subjects, such as are likely to be ofdaily service to the user of the desk. The desk is adapted to beconnected to a wall by flexible cords or wires secured to hooks 4 uponthe sides thereof, or, if pre ferred, these hooks may be placed indirect engagement with some holding device 3 upon the wall. The bottom 5of the casing does not extend to the front edges of the sides and haspartitions 6 extending upward from it. The space between one of thesepartitions and. one side of the casing is subdivided by a shelf 7 intoan upper receptac e 8 for a pencil-box and into a lower receptacle 9 forthe reception of an inkwell. The space at the other side of thispartition is subdivided by an inclined shelf 10 into upper and lowercompartments 11 and 12 for the reception of answered and unansweredletters.

in the upper compartment, and in r the letters may be properly coni. thelower compartment an elastic band 15 is stretched across the frontthereof, as shown. The space between the two central partitions 6constitutes a receptacle 14 for valuables and is provided with a metaldoor 15, having a suitable lock 16. It is of course understood thatinstead of providing a single receptacle 14 between these lastmentionedpartitions the space may be subdivided by shelves, and a drawer may beplaced therebetween. The space 17 adjoining the other side 1 of thecasing has a pen-rack 18, and an elastic strip 19 is stretched acrossthe upper portion of the space 18 for the purpose of holding sheets ofstationery in place. The top 20 of the casing is disposed at a suitabledistance below the upper ends of the side and has a flange 21 extendingalong the front edge thereof. This top constitutes the base of achart-rack. A cross-strip 22 connects the upper portions of the sidesand is disposed above the flange 21.

The inclined shelf is sufficient to hold This strip is adapted to holdthe charts in sition upon the top 20. The charts used in connection withthe rack are preferably in the form of strips 23 of cardboard or othermaterial shaped so as to fit easily within the rack. A desired number ofthese strips may be placed within the rack, and each strip is providedon its two faces with drawings or data relating to any subject which isto be pursued by the user of the desk. Flaps 24 extend upward from thecharts, so that they can be readily removed from or placed in posltion.

Pivot-bolts 25 extend inward from the lower portions of the sides 1adjacent the front edges thereof, and on each of these bolts is mounteda rotatable head 26, preferably provided with ball-bearings 27, so thatthe same will easily rotate. These bolts extend into T-shaped grooves28, formed longitudinally within side strips 29, arranged along the sideedges of a closure 30. This closure is constructed of any preferredmaterial, and one side thereof is of the ordinary finish, while theother side 31 constitutes a blackboard. The ends of the grooves 28 areclosed, so as to prevent the withdrawal of the heads 26 therefrom, andstop-blocks 32 are secured upon the inner faces of the sides 1 above thebottom 5. Suitable catches 33 are located within the edges of theclosure 30, and either of these catches is adapted to engage one side ofthe casing for the purpose of holding the closure in raised positionwhether or notthe blackboard be arranged upon the outside or inside ofthe casing. Notches 34 are formed in the walls of the grooves 28adjacent the centers thereof for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

It will be understood that the closure is normally in a raised positionand disposed entirely between the sides 1. When it is in this position,one of the catches 33 will engage one of the side walls, and therebylock the closure in raised position.

If it is desired to use the blackboard or inner face of the closure,said closure is unlocked by releasing the catch and is; swung downwardupon the bolts 25, and after it has assumed a substantially horizontalposition the closureis pushed inward until its rear edge comes under thestopdolocks 32, which will serve to support said closure, so as topermit it to be used like the leaf or shelf of a desk.

By lowering the closure in the manner described the chart will beexposed and the subj ects indicated thereon can be readily seen by theperson using them. Should it be desired to use a hanging blackboard, theclosure is pulled forward out of engagement with the blocks 32 andpermitted to swing downward upon the bolts 25. By moving the closureupward the suspended blackboard can be held farther from the floor byplacing the pobolts within the notches 34. Ifit should not be desired touse the blackboard when the closure is in a horizontal position, saidclosure can be moved vertically with the blackboard outward until thebolts 25 come in contact with the lower ends of the grooves 28,whereupon the closure can be swung forward with the blackboard down, andby pushing it 1nward it can be replaced in engagement with the blocks32. The outer face of the closure will thus be brought upward.

The opening of the desk will of course expose all of the compartmentstherein, and access can be conveniently had to any of them. By using acatch 33 on each edge of the closure said closure can be locked inraised position whether or not the blackboard is exposed to view. A mapor chart 35 may be attached to the upper portion of the desk in anypreferred manner.

It will be understood that by mounting the closure in the mannerdescribed there are no parts to get out of order, said closure cannot Qbe scratched by coming into contact with any parts of the desk, and,moreover, the same can be easily manipulated by a child, because noingenuity is required in order to open or close it or to place it in anyposition desired.

The preferred form of the invention has been set forth in the foregoingdescription; but I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware thatmodifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit orsacrificing the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right tomake such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is.

1, In a desk the combination with a casing having connectingidevicesfixedly disposed upon the lower portion thereof and in alinement; of aclosure interposed between and rotatably and slidably mounted on saiddevices whereby said closure may be suspended from the casing witheither face thereof outward.

2. In a desk the combination with a casing; of a closure havinglongitudinally-extending grooves in opposite edges thereof, said closureadapted to overlap the bottom of the casing, stops upon the casingadapted to be engaged IIF by the closure, and connecting devicesextending from the'casing and into the grooves, said closure beingslidably and rotatably mounted upon said devices.

3. In a desk the combination with a casing; of a closure havinglongitudinal grooves in opposite edges thereof, the walls of saidgrooves being notched, connecting devices extending from the disk andinto the grooves,v said. devices adapted to be seated in the notches,and said closure being slidably and rotatably mounted on the devices,and means for supporting the closure at an angle to the casing.

4. In a desk the combination With a casing l angle to the casing, and alock for securing having compartments therein, a chart upon the closurein closed position. its rear Wall, and a chart-rack above the corni Intestimony that I claim the foregoing as partnients; of a closure havinglongitudinal my own I have hereto a'ffixed my signature in grooves inopposite edges thereof, pivot-bolts l the presence of two Witnesses.extending from the casing and into the grooves, heads rotatably mountedon said BASCOM UMBERGER' bolts and Within the grooves, said closure lWitnesses: being adapted to slide and rotate upon the i S. R. DAGUE, 1 0heads, means for supporting the closure at an 1 J. W. GOSSMAN.

